Wielders of Heart
by OctaviaKeybearer
Summary: Lyra wakes up in a place completely foreign to her, confused and disoriented. She defeats heartless to gather Lux, and makes some friends along the way, Although one person in particular holds her interest more than the others.
1. Chapter 1

I was standing on a large, circular platform of stained glass. Ominous music coming from seemingly nowhere. There were five pedestals surrounding me, each with a glowing disc hovering over it. A Fox, Leopard, Unicorn, Snake, and Bear. 'Choose', a voice told me. A small engraving on them caught my eye. I walked over to the Bear.

'Strength beyond measure' It read. The voice spoke again. "Do you choose this?" I shook my head. "No." I walked to the Unicorn. "Knowledge. A yearning to learn new things. Do you choose this?"

"No, thank you." I read the Snake. "Virtue, and peacekeeping." I turned to the Fox. "Kindness, Love." I thought about that. "That sounds nice. I don't know though." I stepped towards the Leopard. "Inner strength,and Level-headedness." I felt a warm feeling in my chest. My heart was telling me to choose this.

"I choose the Leopard." The discs disappeared. The voice spoke. "It is done. You have chosen. Now, summon your blade." I held out my hand, and focused on my light. I felt something solid appear in my hand. I opened my eyes. A strange kind of sword was in my hand.

It was colored Creamy shade of white. the shaft was thin and smooth, and turned into puffy clouds, a swirling, fiery sun for the blade. 'With this Keyblade, you shall protect the pure light of the seven princesses. Do you accept this task wholeheartedly?' It said. I nodded.

"Yes. I do. I will protect the light with all my heart." Everything started to glow, and I was enveloped by light.

I woke up next to a fountain in the middle of a square. I looked around. It was certainly beautiful. I was wearing a sheer gossamer dress, pooled around my legs. "Hello? Can anyone tell me where I am?" I called. No answer.

I got to my feet. My legs felt like jelly, and I fell down again. Tears came to my eyes. I didn't know where I was, and I was very disoriented. They fell down into my lap.

"You're new." I turned, and saw a small, cat-like creature. It was absolutely adorable. "What are you?" I asked, scooting towards It. "I'm a Chirithy. Your Chirithy." I tilted my head. "My Chirithy?" It nodded. "I'll be here to help you when you need it." I wiped my eyes.

"I... I need a hug." I pulled It towards me, and hugged It. After a moment, I released It. "Sorry. I'm just a bit upset. But I'm fine now." I stood up. My legs still felt a bit weak, but I was able to hold myself up. "So... What do I do now?" It looked up at me, and then hopped onto the ledge of the fountain.

"Well, you need to rest. I'll take you to your room." I nodded, and wiped the wetness from my eyes. "Okay. Let's go." I put on a brave smile. We walked towards a small Inn, and up the stairs.

It tapped a door with Its little paw. "We're here. Open the door, I can't reach." I turned the doorknob, and walked in. I looked around the room, and smiled.

There was a bed with Creme blankets. The walls were painted the same Creme color, with Golden Swirls all over them. There was a Birchwood closet, and a large window, with a ledge to sit on. There was a bookshelf leaning against the wall, filled with books. I took it all in.

"It's beautiful. I love it." It hopped onto the bed. "You should lay down." I sat down. "Alright. I am a bit tired." I gave a big yawn, and laid my head down, pulling the blankets over me. "Goodnight, Chirithy." I closed my eyes, and fell fast asleep.

I opened my eyes, and propped myself up on my elbow. "Chirithy?" Nothing. I moved the covers aside, and stood up. I went into the bathroom. I looked into the mirror. I was still wearing the gossamer gown I was in yesterday. I had Pale, Milky Brown hair, and Emerald Green eyes. My legs were long and slim, and I had a very curvy figure.

I left the bathroom, and opened my closet. It was filled with clothes. I looked through it for a moment, and pulled out an outfit. It was Pale lilac dress, with a Light pink sash. The skirt was ruffled, and the neck was low-cut. It had long, shimmery sleeves. I put it on. Somehow, it fit me perfectly.

"Huh. Wonder how they did that." I gave a little twirl. "This dress is pretty. I like it." I opened the door, and went downstairs for breakfast. I sat down at a table. "Excuse me?" The last came over. "Yes?"She asked. "What are you having for breakfast?" She smiled.

"Today, we're having Eggs and Bacon. Tomorrow, Oatmeal with Apples. Five Munny for a meal, if you're staying here for a long time." I nodded. "Thank you, Ma'am. Could I get some Eggs and Bacon?"

"Of course. It'll be done in a bit." I sat patiently. As I sat there, a boy came and sat next to me. He had Pale, White Blonde hair, and Blue Eyes. "Hi. I don't think I've ever seen you before. Are you new?" I nodded. "So... You have a Keyblade?" I summoned it. "Yours is pretty cool." I smiled. "Thank you." "I'm Alastair. What's your name?"

"Lyra." I said. "That's a really pretty name." I felt my cheeks warm, but I didn't know why. "Thanks." He smiled. "I just wanted to say hi. What Union are you?" "Leopardus."

"I'm in Vulpes. Everyone says you can't be friends with people outside your Union, but I don't agree with that. I think you should be a good friend no matter what." I nodded. "Definitely. Thanks for welcoming me. It's very kind of you." He grinned.

"No problem. I gotta go, I'll see ya around. It was really nice meeting you." I waved as he walked away. The woman came with my food. "Here you are, Dear. Enjoy."

"Thank you very much." I took the plate, and quickly ate my food. After I was done, I left the plate and some Munny on the table, and left. I went to the square, and sat by the fountain. I heard a little Poof. I turned my head, to see my Chirithy standing there. "Hi." I said. "Hello."

"I made a Friend." I said. It nodded. "That's good. Now, In order to collect Lux, you have to join a Party of people from your Union. You don't have to, but it'll be easier to fight of you work together." I nodded, and stood up. "Well then, I'd better get started."


	2. Chapter 2

I placed the Jewel fragmented in my Keyblade, and set out for one of the world's Chirithy had told me to go.

I was in a glade of flowers. I plucked a Blue forget-me-not, and put it in my hair. I heard a cry of fear. I looked over, and saw a young girl being chased by Heartless. She looked about three years younger than me. "Hey!" I shouted. They turned their attention to me. I summoned my Keyblade.

"Come and get it, losers." I hit them all, releasing the hearts trapped inside them. "Aah!" Pain erupted in my leg, and I collapsed. The Heartless pounced, and I prepared for the impact. But it never came. I looked up, and saw Alastair standing there, Keyblade in hand, breathing heavily.

"You okay?" I looked at my leg. "I hurt my leg, but otherwise, I'm fine." He say down next to me, and pulled a little book from his pocket, flipping through it. "Um... What are you doing?" I asked. "Oh, I'm just finding my Cure spell. I can't seem to remember any of the spells I learn, so I write them down in my book."

"Oh. Okay." I said. "Ah! Here we go!" He put a hand over the gash, and green light erupted from it. He moved his hand away, and the only thing left was a thin white line. A scar. "Thanks." He smiled, and helped me up. "No problem. It's what friends do." Someone called his name.

"I gotta go. My party is waiting." I nodded. "See you in Daybreak Town?" "See ya there!" He ran off. I went in the direction the girl had gone. Eventually, I found her curled up in a ball on the ground, sobbing. I smoothed her hair.

"It's okay. I'm here. Nothing's gonna hurt you, I promise." She looked up. "You'll protect me?" I nodded. "Of course I will. That's my job, after all." She wiped her eyes, and smiled at me. "Oh, thank you ever so much." I took her hand, and led her in the direction of the light.

We came to a small cottage, a path leading away from it. "You stay here. I'll go look for the owners." She nodded, and I walked down the trail. I wandered around, and wound up back at the glade of flowers.

"I better get back to the cottage. The Sun will set soon." I headed back to the cottage, and saw the lights on. I went over, and knocked on the door. Snow White answered it. "Oh! It's you! The dwarves have allowed me to stay!"

I smiled. "That's wonderful. I have to leave, but I'll come and check up on you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yes, I shall see you tomorrow!" I waved goodbye, and left. I opened a portal of light, and focused on Daybreak Town. I stepped through, and saw the Inn I was staying in. As I walked towards the Inn, I saw a Boy leaning up the wall, alone. "Are you okay? You look sad." He sighed.

"It's nothing, really. I made my own party, but no one's joined yet." "Well, what's your Union?" I asked. "Leopardus." I smiled. "I'm Leopardus too. Can I join? I was looking for a party, I'm new." He grinned widely. "Yeah, that'd be great! I was gonna go Lux hunting tomorrow, so you wanna come?" I smiled. "Yes. I'd like that very much."

"Great! Meet you at the fountain at Noon?" I nodded. He gave me one last crooked grin, and dashed off. I went into my room, and sat down, looking out the window. The Sun was starting to set. "I think I'll watch the Sunset."

I opened my window, and stepped onto the ledge. It was windy, and I struggled to keep my skirt from coming up. "Probably wasn't the best idea to do this in a dress." I muttered.

"Hey!"

I yelped, and lost my balance, grabbing onto the window frame to keep from falling. I looked down, and saw Alastair standing there.

"You Jerk! I almost fell!"

"I don't think a dress is very ideal for scaling a building, Especially when its windy. That's not really what I meant by, 'See you in Daybreak Town '."

My face grew warm, and I pushed my skirt down. "Well then, don't look!" He shook his head, and then started climbing up. "What are you doing!?" He didn't answer, and soon he was on the ledge next to me. It was a small space, so he was very close.

"No offense, but you suck at climbing." I said nothing, staring at my feet. "Hey, why is your face Red?" He questioned. I looked away. "It's just the wind." He tilted his head. "Why are you up here, anyway?"

"I wanted to watch the Sunset. That's why." He smiled. "Here, I'll go up first." He climbed the wall swiftly, and then told me where to step. I got up shortly after him. We sat there for a while, watching the Sun fall beyond the horizon.

"Hey, if you could do anything, What would it be? Like, what's your one wish?" He asked. I thought for a moment, and stood up. "I would wish for a set of Wings, so I could fly far away, and explore every single bit of this vast world."

I walked to the edge of the peaked roof, and spread my arms, standing on my tippy toes and closing my eyes.

"Aah!" A gust of wind threw me off balance, and I started To fall. He grabbed my arm at the last moment, and pulled me back onto the roof. I sighed with relief. "Thanks." He smiled. "Sure." We stayed up there until it was completely dark, chatting. "So, where are you staying?"

"Here, actually. What room are you?"

"225. You?"

"226. You're across the hall from me." We went in through my window. "Your room is pretty nice. I see you've got a Sun thing goin' on." I narrowed my eyes. "Well, What does yours look like?" He shrugged. "Got more of a moon vibe to it." "Well, can I see it?" He nodded. "Sure." When he opened his door, I looked at his room in awe.

It had lanterns that bathed the room in soft, Blue light. The fireplace had Blue fire glowing in it, and his bed had a Black bed frame with dark Blue star Patterned sheets, and the walls were painted with Blues and Purples and Black that came together to make the Milky way on his ceiling.

"Wow. Your room is beautiful." His bookshelf was like mine, only Dark Oak, and it had a different selection of books on it. I picked one up. The title was, 'A brief history of the Light, and its connection to Kingdom Hearts,'

"Can I borrow this? It seems interesting." He smiled. "Yeah, just give it back when you're done." I nodded. We talked for a bit, and then I said Goodnight, and went to bed.

The next morning, I got dressed, and went down to eat Breakfast. I found Alastair. "Hey." "Hey. My party is gonna be doing a lot more Lux hunting, so we won't be able to hang out as much."

"I understand. I've joined a party, so I'll probably be busy too." We finished our breakfast, and parted ways.


	3. Chapter 3

Two months passed, and I got a lot done.

I helped this guy named Aladdin clear his name when everyone thought he had stolen something important, and also helped him find his monkey that had run away. It had taken three days to help him with the thief that was impersonating him, and another four to help him find his small mammal.

That thing just couldn't keep Its hands off my fragments. It tried to steal anything shiny. The rest of the time, I spent recruiting people. There were only two people in my party, and honestly, I was starting to get a little bit bored.

I mean, Eric was nice, but we needed more members. Two just wasn't gonna cut it. Only one person had accepted so far, a boy named Amir. Super nice, though. I had gotten a lot stronger, and faster. I didn't even get hit at all anymore, so that was nice.

I yawned, and sat up in bed. I looked at my clock. "I gotta get up. Lux to collect." I really wasn't looking forward to it like I used to. I ran a bath, and soaked in it. After a while, I got out. "Hmm. I think I feel like dressing up today."

I picked out a Red and Black striped dress, with a ruffled skirt that came to my thighs, and a cowl neck. It didn't have any sleeves, and had a built-in corset, emphasizing my waist. I pulled my wavy hair into a half bun. I put on a pair of Red thigh-highs, and some black flats. I twirled in the mirror. "Perfect."

I grabbed an apple, and ate it on my way out. I went to a new world, and I saw a lot of weird stuff. I met a purple and pink striped cat, who only spoke in riddles and called himself 'Cheshire', and saw cards that could walk and talk, all on their own, along with many other strange things.

There was also a queen, who had some sort of sick obsession with chopping people's heads off. I helped a little girl named Alice escape this horrible fate, because she was a princess of heart.

I would have done it even if She wasn't, though. I mean, who wants to get their head lopped off? Afterwards, She thanked me, and I left. I went back to Daybreak Town, and sat in my room for a few hours.

I sat on my sofa, reading the book Alastair had loaned me. I was a bit creeped out by a few parts, like the sentient hand, and the button eyes, but other than that, it was very intriguing. I finished it, and set it aside. I hummed a song.

"Let's go in the garden, you'll find something waiting, right there where you left it, lying upside down. When you finally find it, you'll see how Its faded. The underside is lighter, when you turn it around. Everything stays, right where you left it. Everything stays, but it still changes. Ever so slightly, daily and nightly, in little ways, when everything stays."

I heard a quiet knock at my door. "Who could that be?" I muttered. I opened the door. Alastair was standing there, grinning. "Miss me?" I flared up with anger.

"Idiot! Do you have any idea how lonely I was!? When you said 'Hang out less' I didn't think you meant cut me off completely!" I shouted. He looked sheepish, and My anger melted away.

"I'm sorry for shouting at you, but I'm also not." He smiled. "It's okay. I understand." I pulled him onto my room, and sat him down. "So, what brings you here?"

"I was just wondering if you wanted to come with us." I tilted my head curiously. "Where?"

"Onto the roof. My party and I were going to watch the sun set. Do you wanna bring yours?" I smiled. "Uh huh. I'll ask Eric real quick." I pulled out my Gummiphone, and texted Eric.

'Do U want 2 watch the Sunset with my friends party?'

It took a moment for him to reply.

'U know it! I'll ask Amir. B over in a sec.'

I put my Gummiphone down. "Okay, he says yes." Alastair stood up, and walked to my door. He opened it for me. "Thank you." We walked outside, where his party was waiting. Alastair spoke.

"Everyone, this is Lyra." They all gave a very enthusiastic Hi. His party consisted of nine girls, eight boys, including him. I turned and saw Eric walking up, Amir next to him. I waved him over, and introduced them to the others.

"This is Eric, and Amir. They're in my party." I walked over to the building, and jumped onto the wall, climbing. I was wearing little black shorts under my dress, so I didn't have anything to worry about.

I was up on my ledge when Alastair realized I had started climbing. "Hey, wait for me!" He followed quickly, climbing much faster than I could.

"How do you climb so fast!?" He grinned. "Practice. You'll get better." He climbed onto the roof. "Hey guys! Come on up!" Soon, everyone was up. We all sat down, and watched the Sun set beyond the horizon. I was watching quietly. Alastair came and sat next to me.

"You're thinking." I nodded. "Yes. Here, come with me." I stood up, and started walking. "What are you doing?" He followed me. "Trust me." I stood at the point of the roof, like I had a few weeks ago. I put my arms up, and stood on my toes. "It makes me feel free, like I want to sing." He did the same, and closed his eyes.

"If you wanna sing, I'm not stopping you." His voice was filled with Amusement. I smiled.

"I'm gonna fall. Headfirst and Fast like an Avalanche. Maybe I'll land. Maybe I'll crash, I will take that chance. 'Cause there's nothing here standing between me and everything, nothing to keep me from flying aimlessly, shamelessly laughing at Destiny. No one knows, how high I go, or what makes the Atmosphere glow. I could follow, the narrow road, but maybe I'll let it all go, and just Float."

I stopped short, realizing everyone was staring at me. I put my arms down. "What?" A girl stepped forward. "That was beautiful. You have an amazing voice." I flushed with embarrassment. "Thank you."

A few people started talking to me. 'Can I just disappear? Please?' I thought. Alastair pulled me away. "Geez, guys, give her some space." I thanked him mentally.

The wielders apologized, and went to talk to other people. I heard them. They were talking about me. I pulled my knees up to my chest, and put my head down. "This happened where I used to live. I sang, and then no one would leave me alone." He patted my back.

"It's okay. They were right, though. You have a lovely voice. The most beautiful I've ever heard." I looked at him. He was smiling kindly at me. "Thanks. Can you sing?" He looked embarrassed. "A- a little. Not very well, though. I play the harp. It's a small one."

"That's really cool. I play flute." We sat there, and didn't talk anymore. When it was dark, I said goodbye to everyone, and went to my room. I put on my pajamas, and sat on my couch.

After a while, I heard a sharp rap on my window. I couldn't see who it was through the curtains, so, just to be safe, I summoned my Keyblade, keeping a firm grip on it. I pulled aside the curtains.

Alastair, as I had thought, was standing there. He looked at my Keyblade, and held up his hands. "I surrender!" He yelped. I laughed, and pulled the window open.

"Silly Boy. I won't hurt you. Besides, you're probably a lot stronger than me. I couldn't do much damage." He raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh."

He stepped inside. "So... Why are you here, again?" He looked at the ground.

"I guess I just wanted to say sorry. For not talking to you for a really long time." I rolled my eyes. "I already forgave you for that. It's late, go to bed." I opened my door, and he smiled. He walked out, and I closed the door.

"Goodnight. Y'know, I just noticed somethin'. You're kinda pretty." He said, smiling. With that, he walked into his room, shutting the door. I stood there for a moment. I crossed my room, and laid down on the bed. "He thinks I'm pretty?"

My Chirithy popped up next to me. "Mm-hmm. He did just say so." I stared at the ceiling. "No one's ever called me pretty before." It looked at me. "Well, how do you feel about him?" It asked. I was silent.

"I don't know yet." The creature nodded, and curled into the blankets. I crawled under the covers, careful not to disturb It, and cuddled It. I fell asleep.

The next day, I went to visit Snow White. I got to the dwarves cottage. "Hello?" I heard something, and turned to see an old woman rushing away. "Get her! She's the evil queen in disguise!" The dwarves ran after her, and I followed. it was pouring rain, and I could see lightning in the sky. Heartless appeared in front of us.

"You go ahead, I'll take care of them!" I said. They followed her up the cliff while I killed all the heartless. I heard a blood-curdling screech, and turned to see the woman fall off the cliff, a huge boulder tumbling after her. They ran back to me. "We have to get to Snow White!" I nodded. We all raced back to the cottage.

When we got there, we found her on the floor, Still, and Lifeless, an apple lying next to her.

The Dwarves had fashioned her a coffin, of sorts. It was made out of glass, and gold. I stood on the sidelines, quietly watching. My Chirithy appeared next to me. "Is there anything I can do?" It shook Its head. "No. I'm afraid not." I sighed. A man walked up next to me.

"Where is the sleeping Princess?" I pointed to her. "She's over there." He walked over. He stood there for a moment, and then he leaned in, and kissed her. I felt very sad. Everyone was silent. I heard a little yawn, and looked up. Snow White had sat up, a sleepy look on her face.

"My, what a strange dream..." Cheering broke out among the Dwarves. "How? I thought she couldn't wake up." It nodded. "Not on her own. Only one thing could wake her up, and it was True Love's Kiss." I smiled.

"That's so sweet. I hope they're happy together." The little Princess said goodbye to all of the dwarves, and to me, and then rode off with the Prince towards his castle. I bid them all farewell, and left. I looked at my watch. It was only Ten in the morning. "Well, I might as well go to a new world."

I checked the list Chirithy had given me. I scratched out Dwarf woodlands, Agrabah, and Wonderland. Next on the list was a place called, 'Beast's Castle'. "That sounds interesting." I opened a portal, and stepped through.

I found myself in front of a huge, dark castle. It had statues of gruesome monsters, and the sky was filled with dark clouds, not letting a single ray of sunshine through.

I walked towards the doors. When I knocked, It came open. I stuck my head in. "Hello? Is anyone here?" No response. I stepped inside cautiously. There were cobwebs and dust everywhere. "Geez, this place needs a good cleaning. Who lives here?" I felt something move behind me. I turned, and saw a huge figure lurking there. It wasn't a Man, but a Beast.

"What are you doing in my castle!?" It shouted. " I apologize. I didn't know anyone was here." I said. It grabbed my arm, and dragged me up a flight of stairs. "Hey! Let me go!" It ignored me, and opened a door.

It threw me in, and I landed in a pile of straw. I sat up to see him slamming the door, and locking it. I sat up. "Jerk. He didn't have to throw me so hard." Chirithy was next to me. "I could use my Keyblade, but I'm not sure I wanna face that thing again. He could easily overpower me." It sighed.

"Alright. I gotta go. See ya soon, okay?" I waved, and It disappeared. I sat there for a while, and then I heard voices. One sounded like a man with a heavy French accent, another sounded a bit stuck up, and one sounded like a young woman. "Hello?" I said. The woman spoke.

"Oh my goodness, there really is someone in the dungeon."

"Mademoiselle, I came to you as soon as I saw him throw her in here."

"Well, I say leave her. We wouldn't want to anger the master!"

"Well, gee, thanks a lot! Just leave me in here to rot forever, why don't ya!" I said sarcastically. "Cogsworth, that wasn't very polite at all." She scolded. "How would you like to be locked up?" He sputtered, and the other man hushed him.

"Quiet, my friend. All that matters right now is saving the young lady from the cold stone walls of the tower." I heard the door unlock, and I stood up. She opened the door. "Hello. Are you alright?" I nodded. She stepped in, followed by a Candle holder and a Clock.

The Candle gave a deep bow. "Bonjour, Mademoiselle. We have come to your rescue. I apologize for the rudeness our master has shown you."

"It's fine. I was trespassing, I suppose." The woman led me out of the cell. "I'm Belle. This is Lumiére, and Cogsworth." She pointed at the candle, then the clock.

"I'm Lyra. Thank you for getting me out." She smiled. "It's no problem." She walked down the stairs, and through the halls, until she stopped at a door. She opened it, and walked in.

"Come inside. I'll get some Tea." I sat down on a chair. A moment later, a Tea pot hopped in, followed by a Tea cup, and Belle. "One lump or two, Dear?" The Teapot asked. "Oh, uh, Two, please." She poured Tea into the cup, and put two lumps of sugar in it. I drank it, and put the cup down. "Thanks." Belle sat on the bed . "So, Why are you here?"

"I'm here to protect people from the Heartless. Have you seen any?" She thought for a moment. "They're shadowy, and small?" I nodded. "Then yes. The beast has become more protective lately because of them. He hardly ever leaves the West wing." I stood up. "I think we should pay him a visit."

"Yes. I suppose we should." She led me to the West wing, and we walked in. The Beast was standing over a glass case, a Deep Pink Rose floating inside it. It seemed to glow. The Beast turned around. "You! Why are you here!" He started walking closer, but Belle stepped in front of me.

"Stop. This is Lyra. She's going to help us with the monsters." He stopped, and looked away. "Fine." Belle folded her arms. "And I do believe you owe her an apology for throwing her in the dungeon." He said nothing.

"Beast..." She warned. "I... Apologize." He growled reluctantly. She smiled. "Thank you." I tapped her shoulder. "Is it okay if I look around for Heartless?" She smiled. "Of course."

I left, and wandered around. I found a lot of Heartless, and killed all of them. After awhile, I told Belle I was leaving. "I'll be back tomorrow. Is that okay?" She nodded. "Of course. You're always welcome."

"Okay. Bye." I went outside, and opened a portal into town. I got to my room, and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

The next day, I woke up and went back to Beast's Castle. When I got there, the first thing I noticed was that everything was perfectly clean. The floors were so polished I could see my reflection, and every surface was dusted. "Whoa. What happened?" I wandered around for a bit. "Belle? Where are you?"

A footstool ran over to me. "Arf!" I leaned down and stroked it. It wagged its tassel, and took off down the hall. I ran after it, and skidded to a stop when it turned a corner. I saw a few of the servants huddled by a door. "What are you doing?" They shushed me.

I looked inside, and saw Belle dancing with the Beast, dressed in an elegant ball gown, soft music playing, and candles lit, filling the room with a warm glow.

"Hmm, Romantic violin and piano music. Candlelight. Did you set this up?" The Candle nodded. "Ouis, Mademoiselle. If you like, you are welcome to watch." I shook my head. "I should go kill some Heartless. Wouldn't want them to spoil the moment."

"Merci, Madam." I quietly left, and set out to find Heartless, but there weren't any to be found at the moment.

I sat down on a stone bench. It was snowing now, and I shivered, rubbing my arms. "What do I do now?" I muttered. I heard the sound of hooves across the pavement, and turned to the source. I saw Belle, riding a horse, racing into the forest. I jumped to my feet, and ran after her.

"Belle! Wait!" She couldn't hear me over the wind. It was snowing much harder now, and I could see my breath. "Belle!" I shuddered, the wind biting through my clothes.

I turned, and saw Belle crouched in the snow next to a man, who seemed to be unconcious. There were Heartless crowded around her. "Belle!" She looked up at me, relief clear on her face. "Lyra!" I ran towards her as a Heartless pounced. I hit it before it could land again.

"Get to safety! I'll handle these!" She put the man's arm around her shoulder, and pulled him onto her horse, climbing up herself, and galloping away.

The Heartless weren't what I usually fought. They were bigger, different. Some had metal helmets and metal boots, while others floated above the ground holding wands and wearing wizard's robes.

"New breed. Ugh, I hate my life." I killed them all quickly, although it was a bit harder than usual. The light snowfall had turned into a heavy blizzard.

The wind howled in my ears, and I couldn't see anything. I turned in the direction Belle had gone. "Well, if she went that way, there must be a town." I walked for a long time, and the further I went, the more the snow let up.

After a bit, the temperature was warm again. I looked back, and in the distance, I could still see it snowing. I saw the light of torches ahead of me.

The people carrying them did NOT look happy. I hid behind a tree. What they were shouting filled me with dread. "KILL THE BEAST! KILL THE BEAST!" They chanted. I took a shortcut through the trees to get there before them.

I found the servants. "There's a huge mob just down that way! They're coming to kill the Beast!" They gasped.

"We must warn him immediately! You, Miss! Can you bar the doors?" I nodded, and did so. "I'll try to keep them out! Anyone who's not doing anything, help me!" A large amount of furniture came over, and blocked the doors, shoving me out of the way. "Thanks!"

I ran upstairs, and looked outside. They were getting close. I opened the window, and stepped into the roof. Carefully, I slid to the edge.

Then I jumped off, using Aero to cushion my fall. I ducked behind a very large statue, and when the mob passed me, I turned on the direction of the village. I was about to leave, when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

I whipped my head around. Alastair held a finger to his lips, shaking his head. "Don't move, they'll find us!" He whispered. I sighed in relief.

"It's just you. What are you doing here?" There were a few other people hiding as well. "We were on a mission for Lux, of course. We were inside the castle, when someone said something about an angry mob. We got out, but we haven't left yet."

"I'm the one who warned everyone. I saw the villagers, and ran back here as fast as I could." I heard the sound of splintering wood. The villagers had broken in with a battering ram. I tried to leave, but Alastair stopped me.

"It's okay. They've got this." I heard the screams of the mob, and saw the furniture running around, doing things like pouring boiling Tea all over them, and smashing their heads in with drawers. "Alright."

Thunder flashed above me. It was raining hard, and I was soaked. My blue shorts clung to me, and my white blouse was soaked. I hugged my arms to my Chest, trying to cover myself, and leaned against the statue. One of the girls came over.

"See-through shirt?" I nodded. She took off her scant, and have it to me. I put it on and zipped it up. "Thanks. That's really nice of you." She smiled. "I'm Katrina. You can call me Kat."

"I'm Lyra. It's nice to meet you, Kat." We all sat there for a while. I heard shouting from the roof, and looked up. The Beast was up there, while a man was advancing on him with a hunting knife, a cloud of darkness surrounding him. He was about to stab him, when I heard the sound of hooves.

I saw Belle come to a stop in front of the castle. "No! Gaston, don't!" She got down and ran inside. The Beast retaliated, knocking the knife aside and grabbing the man by the throat. The darkness disappeared, and he flailed around in the air. "No! Please! I'll do anything!" He pleaded, fear in his voice.

The Beast held him there for a moment, and then set him down. I couldn't hear anything else. Belle was on the balcony now, and the Beast was climbing up to her. Just as he was about to reach her, I saw the man her to his feet. He lunged, and something silver blinked in his hand. I realized too late what it was.

"Beast!" I shouted. The man drove it into his side, and He roared in agony, letting go of the rail. Belle grabbed the Beast before he could fall, and pulled him up. The man wasn't so lucky, and fell, screaming, into the canyon.

I stood up. "We have to go see if he's alright!" He nodded. We all raced up the stairs, and into the West wing. The Beast was laying on the ground, motionless, Belle sobbing into his chest. I looked at the servants.

"Is he...?" They shook their heads sadly. The rain stopped, and lights started falling from the sky. They surrounded the Beast, lifting him off the ground, and there was a bright light, blinding us.

When it faded, the Beast was gone, and there was a man lying on the ground. He got to his feet. Then he turned to Belle. "Belle... It's me!" Stepping forward cautiously, She ran a hand through his hair, looking at his joyful grin. A smile broke out across her face.

"It is you!" She threw her arms around him, and kissed him. The clouds parted, and the Sun burst through, bathing the castle in a brilliant light. The statues of hideous monsters turned into Angels, and the black stone turned to white. I turned to the servants, just not time to see them transform into people.

There was a very pompous, very round man, his hair styled like the curved wood of the clock, a woman with white hair and a hat that looked like the lid of the teapot, and a tall, slim man with Dark blond hair tied in a ponytail, and Gold cuffs.

"What... Exactly happened? Why is the Beast a human?" The thin man turned to me, and spoke in his heavy French accent.

"Mademoiselle, ten years ago, an old beggar woman came to this very castle, and asked for shelter, offering a single red rose as trade. The Prince turned her away. She shed her cloak, to reveal a beautiful Enchantress. She cursed the prince, and everyone in this castle, telling him that if he did not learn to love, and be loved in return, he would remain a horrible Beast forever."

"That's horrible!" He nodded. "Alas, horrible, but true. He was very cruel, and unforgiving. But, I must admit, it feels wonderful to be human again. Madame, Lumiere, at your service." He gave a deep bow. Belle and the prince were talking, and I walked over to them. "So... What's your real name? I can't call you Beast anymore." I asked.

"Edgar. I'm sorry for how I previously treated you." I smiled. "It's no problem. You were going through hard things. I can't imagine being trapped as a Beast for ten years." He thanked me for the help, and went back to talking with Belle. I walked over to Alastair. He was leaning on the rail, looking out into the distance.

"Well, I guess everything turned out okay." He nodded. I sneezed, and rubbed my nose, sniffling. He put a hand on my forehead, then my cheek. "You have a fever." I nodded. "Well, we were here all night. Not to mention the rain." I felt a headache coming on, and sank down onto the stone. "Jus' gonna take a lil' nap..." Everything went Black.


End file.
